Steeped in skill, forged in steel... and ruined by the rules.
This was the Premier League at its very best, and its very worst, and City can hold up their heads for a magnificent battling performance against the odds.
But don’t blame ref Mark Clattenburg for ruining what could have been a sumptuous spectacle, instead point the finger at the rigidity of our refereeing structure, which refutes commonsense and demands everything be done by the book.
So, when teenager Dedryck Boyata mistimed his tackle on Marouane Chamakh after just five minutes, Clattenburg had very little option.
By the letter of the law, Chamakh was through on goal, and it had to be a red card. In another age, the man in black would have been allowed to judge the situation on its merits, yellow-card Boyata and preserve the match as a fair contest.
As it was, for all of City’s marvellous attitude in the face of adversity, a record Eastlands crowd of 47,393 was treated to a game which had a sense of inevitability about it.
Mancini had shuffled his back four, bringing back Vincent Kompany and Jerome Boateng, while dropping Joleon Lescott to the bench.
That showed great faith in young Boyata, who Mancini sees as a star of the future, and ironically he was brought in as being a yard faster than Lescott, vital against quicksilver Arsenal.
It looked like a gamble, with Boateng turning out at left back for City for the first time, although he made a good job of playing in that position for Germany during the World Cup.
That gamble backfired just five minutes in, when Boyata was caught out by a burst of pace from Marouane Chamakh.
The Arsenal striker was bearing down on goal, and Boyata slid in for a last-ditch tackle, but mistimed it and brought Chamakh down.
By the letter of the law, it had to be a red card, but it is a pity the powers-that-be do not allow referees to use some commonsense in these matters.
To dismiss Boyata so early threatened to spoil the whole contest as a spectacle.
The fact that it didn’t was entirely down to City’s tremendous battling spirit.
They simply re-organised, regrouped and set out to right the injustice, and in a spirited first half they very nearly did that.
Gareth Barry slotted in at left back and Boateng switched to his favoured position of centre back, leaving Nigel de Jong and Yaya Toure to win the midfield battle with the help of Carlos Tevez, James Milner and David Silva.
The Blues had already come within an ace of taking the lead, when a swift raid down the right by Carlos Tevez landed the ball at the twinkling feet of Silva. His back-flick was cute, but the much-criticised Lukasz Fabianski came up with a brilliant reflex save to keep it out.
Inspiring
What followed was, at times, unedifying, and at times inspiring. Cesc Fabregas, perhaps sensing a referee susceptible to Arsenal’s portrayal of themselves as a team of artists and victims, rolled in agony after a clean challenge by Nigel de Jong.
Seconds later Barry was booked for a strong challenge, but Alexandre Song escaped as he similarly clattered Silva.
In among the confetti of cards, City were still the more enterprising of the teams. Tevez and Silva, used to playing against the odds, combined beautifully on the edge of the Gunners box only for the Argentine’s shot to lack the power needed to beat Fabianski.
But Arsenal, of all teams, are made to exploit numerical advantage, and on 20 minutes Samir Nasri and Andrei Arshavin opened up the Blues’ left flank and Nasri was in, to crash a shot past Joe Hart.
Still City would not lie down. Micah Richards darted on to Milner’s through ball, turned inside two Arsenal markers and curled a shot wide.
It all looked over on 40 minutes when Fabregas tried to drift past Kompany and drew another rash challenge from the Blues’ other Belgian defender.
Fabregas did not strike the spot kick well, but Hart’s save was still out of the top drawer.
It lifted spirits and brought fresh hope that the ten men could yet salvage something, emphasised when Vincent Kompany rose to head just over the bar from a corner. But Arsenal cleared their heads at half-time and began to play the kind of possession football which any ten men in the world would find tough.
The Blues were not helped by Tevez picking up a knock which forced him to make way for Emmanuel Adebayor, much to the chagrin of the visiting fans. The big Togolese striker, fresh from his Europa League hat-trick against Lech Poznan in midweek, fancied another dose of revenge on his former club after last season’s goal and length-of-the-pitch celebration.
He missed his chance just before the hour mark when Kompany headed on Milner’s corner and he could only nod the ball over the bar.
The Blues were finally punished for their bold attempts to draw level on 66 minutes when Arsenal worked an opening and Song crashed in their second goal.
The Blues simply upped the fight and when de Jong crashed into Song to win the ball and Silva drifted in a delightful cross, Adebayor was denied by another terrific Fabianski save.
Mancini played his final ace with 20 minutes left, Mario Balotelli making a welcome Premier League debut, but by that stage it was all about damage limitation. Another swift Gunners counter-attack brought a third goal, sub Nicklas Bendtner racing through to finish and give a scoreline which the battling Blues did not deserve.
What is your verdict on the game? Have your say.
City 0 Arsenal 3: Brennan's verdict
October 24, 2010
Comments
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Very disappointing but a harsh scoreline, judging on the desire we showed at times in the game, it’s such a shame we went down to 10 men and so early.
Hart performed well and Silva looked dangerous but we didn’t really have a response to Fabregas in the midfield, Mancini’s plan to crowd him out stumbled with the sending off and we just got tired.
Time to forget about the result and move on, hopefully Tevez’s injury isn’t too bad but we must recoup and prepare for Wolves.
This was an uphill battle from the start after a very bad decision so early on. It was our turn for the poor ref, but you have to suck it up sometimes. Playing with 10 men against a team like Arsenal for the whole game was always going to be tough. Very sorry for Boyota and Sorry Harts penalty save was in vein. A special mention to Fabregas for trying to play up everytime De Jong went near him. The positive was seeing Balotelli in a blue shirt on home turf for the first time and I thought we fought well but the disadvantage was just too enduring. Not our day today but we're still up there with rest of them.
I suppose the rags will be on here in abundance to make themselves feel better after the emotional battering and humiliation they've suffered this week, in fact I think Fergie might even show up.
Haha wait for the excuses, but we only had 10 men lmao Arsenal had maybe 7 players on yellow cards for most of the game so sling it bitters hahaha
The ref is a watt!!!!
Title rivals? Really? Champions-League spot rivals at best.
No disgrace. 11 on 11 we'd have stuffed them. (the sending off was correct though).
This is just a blip. Nothing to panic about, the fact Arsenal could only get 2 goals in the first 82 mins of having an extra man says it all.
Good performances by Richards, De Jong and Hart.
And before any yoonited fan comes on saying how come I am commenting so soon after the game...I'm watching the game on ESPN in Boston USA!
Any team with title credentials should be able to get something from a game with 10 men.
Mancini and Kidd got it wrong and David Platt is an absolute shambles.....Live and learn I guess!
Boyata and Richards mistakes here and against Sunderland will really cost us come the end of the season.
I am still absolutely shocked that I saw Adebeyor give more than his usual 5% ...he actually dived into a few challenges today....well done lad.... have £160,000 for that!
hahaha Keep smiling fellow blues we battered Chelsea and Arse-nal have just battered us it happens and next Saturday we play Wolves away were we will get back on track and get another three points.
We have to follow what Chelsea has done since we beat them and beat the lesser teams. I am really chuffed with our current form and just hope that City fans don't read to much into todays game.
Brush yourselves of people and move on because we'll be on 20pts by next Saturday.
Total respect to the players for effort and heart but our passing game wasn't good enough to be fare!!!
Away from the game and usual banter for one post at least.
As I watched on TV, I thought the tribute paid to Malcolm Allison was of the highest order. This remembrance of a great man did great credit to all the fans that were at your place today. Sometimes, just sometimes, football clubs and real football fans can make everyone feel very proud, I thought today was one of those days.
Didnt last long did it
Mancini made one mistake today by playing Boyata thats where you need the expirence. I am very proad of our performance being down to 10 men for 85 minutes if that was United player at old Trafford after 5 minutes last man he wont of the been sent off the player of referee gave us nothing today 3-0 was realy harsh..
keep the faith.
I actually still feel quite upbeat despite the result, Its just a shame we had to have that muppet clattenburg as the ref
Scoreline flattering to Arsenal.
Boyata had to go which ruined the game, hope he learns from his mistake.
Thought Arsenal were typically cynical with their cheating to break up counter attacks.
Ref gave big decisions their way and meaningless ones our way.
Thought City did themselves a lot of credit with the way they took the game to Arsenal even a man and a goal down.
Richards did well, Silva looked quality again, Yaya was huge and a big loss at half time.
Ade worked hard when he came on.
But it was just one of those days where nothing goes your way.
Still in the hunt, this is why we needed to build up a cushion from easier games. Let's move on, get players fit and put this one behind us.
We looked like we might be able to scrape something out of this until Bridge came on. You knew it was over for as soon as that happened. Pure liability!!
When will Mancini understand that Bridge isnt up to it ! .. A Micah richards, apppealing for a throw in, simply let the Arsenal Midfielder walk strait past him for the 3rd goal !!!
In Short , our defence got found out today !!!
Absolutely deflated after that, We showed heart and we are by no means out of this yet. I feel for Boyata as he made the wrong decision and we paid for it. We were cruising for the opening 5 minutes of the game and when we went to 10 men still thought we could have nicked a goal. Dejong played a blinder and so did Richards and was very unlucky not to score just after the sending off. We had a few poor decisions against us but like football it happens just as we got against Blackpool it's swings and roundabouts. We should take a lot from this game and move on with it if we showed that passion with 10 men imagine what we could do with 11 on the field. A sad day but it will be interesting to see how we fair in the next home tie.
Im happy with the effort the lads put in and for most of the game we held our own against a very good team but lets look at a few facts - and they are facts........
Arsenal went into this game with two days extra rest over us so to be playing against them with only 10 men for the whole game was gonna be a big ask. Barca aside i cant think of a worse team to be in that situation against, they exploit space even without an extra man - fair play they are a fantastic team but i thought we were worth a point. Silva had a brilliant give and go with milner and a fantastic effort that somehow flap-ianski saved, i thought that was one all and at that stage we deserved a point, but in the end we simply got exposed due to tired-ness, although it was an individual error from Bridge that cost us the second. Why oh why cant Bridge to the simple defensive things competently (close down, clear the ball etc).............
As for that Red card though - how the hell was Chamakh GURANTEED a goal from outside the area on that angel??? Yes in court a lawyer could argue the technicalities that make a red theoreticaly possible but talk about a harsh decision. He couldnt wait to draw that Red like a gunslinger in a western - Billy the Kid wouldnt have stood a chance such was Clattenburgs speed on the draw. Pathetic - it essentially handed the game to Arsenal, it was an un-necessary decision - but based on his performance against Blackburn Rovers Rugby Club it didnt shock me. Has Mancini been romancing his missus or somthing???
Well at least we won the other contest on display today - namely the cr@p haircut competition. With Arsenal fielding both Sanga and (biggest chav cut of all time) Chamakh we had a mountain to climb in this regard as well but we did it, i was so proud. With the introduction of Balotelli, along with Boateng and Maicon Richards, we had three obscenely cr@p "fro-hicans" on the park all at the same time - brave stuff from Mancini...........
P.S - Is there a smugger more perma-sneering footballer than Nicklas "sneer" Bendtner - him scoring left a slightly worse taste than necessary...............
P.P.S - Anyone know if Carlos and Yaya's injuries were serious - it really was a bad day at the office..............Anyway like i said im pleased with the performance and the effort, lets put this one behind us and pray we never get Clattenburg as a Ref again.........
Game spoiled as a spectacle by the early sending off, but credit to city for a fabulous effort. I am sure there would have been a different outcome if it had been 11 v 11 but also that we'll be there or there abouts come May, lets make the rags pay on 10th Nov!!!!!
To say we lost, I ended up feeling very encouraged. In most of the game we looked very very good and certainly much better than the rags who struggled to beat Stoke (and should have had Neville sent off). If we can play like that against any side in the PL (assuming we keep 11 men on the pitch!) we will win a lot of games and certainly finish in top4.
Great effort spoilt by sending off ,when team down to ten men last man you want to bring on is Bridge .Hes weak attempt at clearing when the team were at least in with a shout,where was Zabaleta. Overall performance cant fault against a lesser side a win would have been achieved.
Action packed !!!!!!!!what were you watching ? i saw at least 5 dead legs, Milner. Barry Boateng. Toure ( what a utter joke ) Bridge.
how wrong can you be ? barry. milner. boateng.toure.bridge all got lead in their boots. best prospect at the club cant get on Adam Johnson.
The sending off clearly changed the match completely. A rash challenge (as was Vincent's for the penalty) by an inexperienced lad - he must learn from it. I thought the lads responded well and on another day, with a bit of the rub of the green, we would still have got something out of the game. Arsenal never looked comfortable in the first half, even when we were short handed, but Ya Ya being unable to come out for the second half took a lot of the pressure off them. Tev having to go off was a major blow as well. The second goal was the result of Arseanal having the rub of the green that we never got and the third of our exhaustion. I think we saw, though, that City have team spirit and that Roberto and the team have a very positive attitude. But today EVERYTHING that could DID go wrong. The season's 38 games long and we'll be up there come the end. Hart played very well, Silva looks better and better and Nigel was immense. But for the sending off I think we would have got the three points - and we still could if David Silva's flick in the first minute had gone in. Heads down, sleeves rolled up - plenty to play for. PS Is anyone else fed up of Arsenal's repeated "professional" fouls when their attacks break down and the opposition try to hit them on the break?
disappointed but whos gonna get anything against arsenal for 86 minutes with 10 men.genuinely thought we could get something until the second.Never mind at least the rooney debacle is still strongly in the mind,that will ease the hurt and have me laughing again.
With 10 men against Arsenal with an entire game was a Bridge too far,,, talking of Bridge does he know anything about defending ?- his "fairy" clearance that resulted in a goal must have gutted his team mates who fought so hard for so long.